F-104G KF+128 Messerschmitt test flight at Manching AB 1962

F-104G, construction number 683-2053, company model 683-10-19, built by Lockheed
manufactured by Group USA (ARGE-USA); flight test release January 29, 1962; test flights coded with register number "153"
assembly in Fighterbomber version according contract lot 5; acceptance date February 13, 1962 by BABwLockheed
project "42" as Fighterbomber (for JaboG 31) with Vulcan M61 20 mm machine gun installed and long range tanks as loose parts; delivery date February 16, 1962
KF+128 airlifted to Manching AB on February 28, 1962 with 28 flight hours in a Canadair CL-44D airfreighter of "Flying Tiger Line"
test flight by Messerschmitt on April 19, 1962; project "Replace" was not implemented
DA+109 JaboG 31 at Norvenich AB delivery date on May 22, 1962 in Silver-finish colors
project "19" upgrading in order to get all Norvenich aircraft to the same modification level starting in January 1963
"Category III" operational profiles and system tests from April until July 1963; camouflage scheme "Norm 62" according tech order "TA-196" in 1965
20+45 IRAN at SABCA on May 2, 1968 with 894 flight hours, back to JaboG 31 on November 26, 1968
heavily damaged on April 30, 1969 after emergency landing at Hopsten AB due to engine fire after a broken fuel line,
the aircraft tail burnt completely; repaired by Messerschmitt on June 25, 1969 but used as instructional airframe only,
(nose section of construction number 2053 with repaired rear fuselage section of construction number 7106); struck off charge order (AVA) December 7, 1970
instructional airframe (GIA) with Technische Schule der Luftwaffe 1 (TSLw 1) at Kaufbeuren AB on March 23, 1971
Luftwaffenmuseum Uetersen on July 16, 1982 with training aid code "C085"; in May 1992 on permanent lease to Luftfahrt-Museum Laatzen-Hannover, 2001 noted; August 2023 last noted.

Project "42": to equip 42 aircraft (hence the name of the project!) for JaboG 31 (FBW 31) at Nörvenich in Fighterbomber version with built-in Vulcan M61 20 mm machine gun, 
long-distance tanks as loose parts

copyright © Klaus Kropf